Process of making boots or shoes



W. B. WHITE PROCESS OF MAKING BOOTS OR SHOES Filed July 12, 1925 /4 Wave/W1? 7- latented Jan. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN B. WHITE, OF ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF MAKING BOOTS 0R SHOES.

Application filed July 12,

ing the manufacture of boots and'shoes, such for example as that illustrated in my prior and copending applications, Ser. No. 511,- 590. filed Oct. 31, 1921, and SenNo. 562,097, filed May 19, 1922, I have devised novel and efficient means for manufacturing extremely flexible and tackless footwear. My present invention is a further improvement in the manufacture of a single soled tackless shoe resulting, substantially, in a welt type of shoe. which, however, is equipped with a. single sole, and which utilizes a removable insole during the process of manufacture. I believe that my present process and the resulting shoe so made, constitute distinct novelties in the art of manufacturingboots and shoes, and I wish to claim both these features broadly herein.

In carrying out my invention, the upper materials, welt and outsole, are of usual construction, and I prepare a special form of insole, similar in form and function to that illustrated in my prior applications above identified. Assembling the upper materials and prepared insole on a last, I then last the shoe, and apply to the outside of the lasted shoe a suitable form, substantially a duplicate of the insole in contour, but preferably of reduced or smaller area. This form is temporarily secured to the insole in any desired manner. Thereupon I draw the last, and apply a welt, stitching the welt through and through to the upper only, and utilizing the insole-like form as a guide for the inseam stitching machine to perform this welt stitching. This welt stitching furthermore is preferably applied entirely beyond or outside of the marginal edge of the first insole on which he upper 1s lasted, said,

insole being preferably of less area, but substantially parallel in contour to the bottom of the last, Thus the inseam stitching, at-

].923. Serial No. 651,173.

taching the welt, is connected to the upper only and not to the insole. This latter is intended to be removable. With the welt thus stitched, I then relast the shoe, apply the outsole, and stitch the outsole to the welt in the usual manner, apply the heel, and finish and complete the shoe, performing the final operations in the same manner as welt shoe Work. The shoe is completed and I then remove the last and thereupon pull the first insole member, thus removing it ,1 and the lasting tacks carried by it, with the res'ult that a single soled welt shoe, with the innermargin of the welt secured to the upper and lining only by through and through stitching. and the weltand outsole secured by usual Goodyear welt stitching, is produced.

Instead of utilizing a removable form on the bottom after it is lasted. it is possible and feasible to employ a fairly heavy removable insole of strong stock, which can be used repeatedlv. and which is of sufficient thickness and reduced or less area than the last bottom, so that this insole its lf can be employed as the guide for the welt inseaming machine. In this case it is not necessary to use the second form above described. which is applied after the shoes is otherwise lasted.

Referringto the-drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. '1 is a side view-. partly in crosssection, ill strating the completed shoe, made according'to my process;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating th shoe in lastedflposition;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showin the welt stitched to'the upper outside the insole; I

Fig; 4 shows the. completed shoe.

As shown .in the drawin s. HDDer mate rials 1. comprising a shoe upper'and a lining of any suitable stvle'. desired shape or form are employed". The up er 1 is assembled on a last'2 and asoecially prepared insole 3 is applied to the last bottom. This insole is intended to be removable'and carries a pinralitv of lasting points. tacks or instrumentalities designated as 4,-these being preferably. of the type illustrated in my said prior I illustrated in Figs." 2" and 3."

whichv with the last removed, is'easily' and the inseam stitching readily applled,

In applyingithe welt 'f6fand attaching the I .Ysame with th'ejstitching 7-;j.t wo methods may be employed. ;--Wher'e the insole'stock 3 is heavy and-thickened',ilandwith the last removed, I may use the edgeof the .same, 9, as a guide for the inseam stitching'ma'chine, which may be a straight through and through needle machine, similar to thatfemployed for various operations in shoe factories. This'is readilyrac'complished by depressing the thin flexible upper and lining over the e'dge 9"in the steps'indicated at 5, Fig. 2,

one

Or I may apply to'the lasted upper a removable form indicated at 10 in Fig. 3. This form can be secured to the insole 3 by one or two tacks if desired, and constitute simply .an edge guide or form to maintain the stitching machine setting the stitches Y 7 into position and ."alinement. Thereupon the form l0 is removed and the shoe relasted. As thus relasted,*the outsole 12 is then applied andtheiout'sole; stitching 14 is set," uniting the outsoleiand welt 6 in the usual welt shoe const'ruction-;I fthe heel applied,

edges trimmed, burnish ed, and the shoe completed and finlshed, whereupon the last is withdrawn and the removable insole 3 pulled out, carrying the'lastingv members 4:; and leaving a single soled'tacklesswelt shoef If desired a sock lining 15'can be fitted within .the shoe, as is customary. My process thus includes 'simple, novel and eflicient methods of forming" a shoe, utilizing through and through stitching to unite the upper and welt entirely free of the insole, employing my novel type of insole and last ing devices, eliminating the necessity for filling, trimming the upper or the like, and presenting the appearance of an extensive Goodyear welt shoe, while comprising the characteristic flexibility and comfort of a turn shoe. An important advantage of this novel shoe thus constructed is that it is entirely free" from tacks, has great flexibility and furthermore, although a single soled shoe, yet it can be repaired, as long as the welt 6 is intact, in an identically similar manner to the methods employed in repairing welt shoes.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims'as follows:

1. The improvement in the art of manufacturing boots and shoes, which consists in providing a removable insole, of less area than thebottom of thelast on which it is used, assembling the upper and said insole on a last, lasting the upper, removing the last, stitching the upper only around the margin of the forepart and shank to a welt by through and through stitching, applying an outsole and attaching the same to said welt, removingfthe last and withdrawing the insole from the inside of the shoe.

2. The improvement in the art of manufacturing boots and shoes,jwhich consists in providing a removable insole of less area than the bottom of the last'on which it is used, said insole carrying lasting devices,'assembling the upper and said insole on a last, lasting the upper, removing the last, stitching the upper only around the margin of the for-apart and shank to 'a welt by through and through stitching-applying an outsole and theattaching same to said welt, removing the last and withdrawing the insole and said lasting'devices from the inside of the shoe.

3. The improvement in the art of manufacturing boots and shoes, which consists in providing a removable insole, of less area than the bottom of the last on which it is used, assembling the upper and said insole on a last, lasting the upper, applying a removable form on the bottom of'the lasted upper and insole, substantially co-extensive with the insole, removing the last, stitching the upper only aroundthe margin of the forepart and shank toa welt by through and through stitching, utilizing said form as a guide'for the stitching machine, applying an outsole and attaching the same to said welt.

4. The improvement in the art of manufacturing boots and shoes, which consists-in assembling an insole and upper materials on a last, lasting the upper to said insole, temporarily securing a removable form on the bottom of the lasted upper and insole, utilizing the marginal edge of said form as a guide for a through and through stitching machine, applying a welt and attaching the same by a through and through stitching machine, guiding it on said form around forepart and shank, removing the form, and attaching an outsole to the welt.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

. WARREN B. WHITE. 

